Driving Tips for Spring

Spring brings about warmer days but there are challenges that go hand-in-hand with springtime driving. Thunderstorms, heavy rain, and high winds can pose a threat to all drivers. Our new and pre-owned car dealership at the Lake of the Ozarks want to help offer you tips for driving this spring.


Top Spring Weather Threats:

Heavy Rain

One of the most important things you can do is slow down during heavy rain. Slowing down can be critical to reducing a car's chance of hydroplaning. If possible, you should try driving in the tracks of the vehicles that are ahead of you.

Avoid using cruise control during heaving downpours. While cruise control can be helpful in dry conditions, once it starts raining, the chance of losing control increases. To prevent loss of traction, you may need to reduce the vehicle's speed by lifting off the accelerator, which cannot be done while in cruise control.

Leave more space between cars. While it's also a good idea to leave room between you and the car ahead of you, it's even more important to do so when it's raining. If you're driving in heavy traffic while it's raining, try to avoid being boxed in by cars in the lanes on either side of you. That way, you have an easy out in case the vehicle ahead of you stops suddenly.

Try to avoid pulling over on the side of the road during heavy rain. Other vehicles may have a tough time seeing your vehicle if you are sitting still on the side of the road. If you are uncomfortable driving, find the nearest exit or side road and pull over there in the safety of a parking lot or drive way until the storm passes.


Damaging Hail

Try to get off the road and find shelter when hail starts to fall. If you are able, find shelter under an overpass or bridge, or find the nearest gas station. Hail can cause a lot of damage in a short amount of time, so when it begins, get off the road to avoid damaging your vehicle.

Stay in your vehicle. Don't get out of your car during a hail storm. Hail falls at fast speeds, and it can cause injury to those in its path, just like it can damage a car. It's best to stay in your vehicle until the storm passes.

If you are able, angle your car so the front windshield takes the main hail hits. This windshield is the strongest window in a vehicle and can withstand more of an impact than the others.


Strong Wind

During heavy winds, be extra aware of larger vehicles like semi-trucks. They're more susceptible to high winds and they may have a harder time staying in their designated lane. During extremely strong winds, try to keep your distance from other vehicles altogether.

Keep both hands on the wheel when the wind begins to pick up. If the wind is strong enough, it could begin moving your vehicle. When this happens, keep a firm grip on the wheel, especially if you're driving a larger vehicle.

Look out for debris on the road. Twigs or small branches in the road could mean there's a tree or large branch coming up ahead. You also don't want to run over any debris, as it could cause damage to your vehicle. Cars will also be trying to avoid any debris in the roadway, so keep your eye out for cars swerving or jumping into your lane.

Now that you have these spring weather driving tips under your belt, you're ready to take to the roads this spring. As the best car dealership at the Lake of the Ozarks, we're excited for spring to be here! If you are unfortunately involved in an accident due to spring weather conditions, our dealership offers collision repair at the Lake of the Ozarks! Contact Hulett Chevrolet Buick GMC today to schedule your repair today.

Hulett Chevrolet Buick GMC - That's The Way We Do It At Hulett!



513 N. Business Route 5
Camdenton, MO  65020

Sales: 573.317.4191
Service:  573.317.4195

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